Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We are recruiting for a Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

The post holder will be joining two Band 7 Speech and Language Therapists (SLT), one Band 6 Speech and Language Therapist and an AHP Assistant Practitioner to work predominantly within the Head and Neck oncology service within both NHS and private settings.

The Speech and Language Therapy service is operationally based within the AHP Therapy service, under the direction of the AHP Head of Therapies.

ENHT is seeking to maintain and expand the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre staff as we move to an exciting new future.

We welcome applications from those who would relish the opportunity to be part of new and developing cancer service, building on the excellent reputation, research and patient experience the Cancer Centre already delivers.

Our Values are Include, Respect and Improve. It is important that you understand and refer to our values during your recruitment process and beyond

Main duties of the job

You will be a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) who uses evidence-based knowledge and specialist skills to assess, diagnose and manage dysphagia and communication impairments. You will also be committed to providing strategic and leadership development of the SLT team including FEES and VF services.

Within this role you will be responsible for day-to-day clinical leadership, supervision and delivery of a quality, dynamic SLT service. You will also be actively engaged in the service delivery including business continuity, service planning, clinical governance, research, and service innovation.

Collaborating closely with internal and external specialists, and with Higher Education Institute leads.

You will posses expert knowledge of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy to guide swallow and communication assessment and treatment, e.g. anticipating potential side effects which may impact on swallowing, communication, nutritional status and need for enteral feeding.

In this role you will be responsible for ensuring robust methods of data collection are implemented in order to inform service evaluation
and report to both Macmillan and Trust Boards as required.

Working for our organisation

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, are proud of the range of general & specialist services we provide & our 6,000 plus dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible & innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford
• Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation; our staff & patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We understand that finding & starting a new job is an important life decision. If you need reasonable adjustments for a disability, or a life event, such as menopause - so that we can consider your application fairly & to get the best out of you during the selection process, please let us know.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees.

Employees are entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns & we are committed to listen & consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made & considered formally, & will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

ENHT is seeking to maintain and expand the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre staff as we move to an exciting new future.
We welcome applications from those who would relish the opportunity to be part of new and developing cancer service, building on the excellent reputation, research and patient experience the Cancer Centre already delivers.

In addition, you will receive a High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of your basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,108 and a maximum payment of £5,177per annum pro rata.

Person specificationQualificationsEssential criteria

• Degree or MSC in Speech and Language Therapy accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
• Health and Care Professions Council Registration to Practice
• Registered Member of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists

Previous ExperienceEssential criteria

• Evidence of extensive and relevant highly specialist experience working with patients with communication and swallowing impairments arising from a cancer diagnosis, particularly within head and neck cancer
• Experience working with patients undergoing radiotherapy/chemotherapy and immunotherapy with curative and palliative intent
• Specialist knowledge and application of current best practice
• Knowledge of a range of specialist assessment tools and procedures to evaluate communication and swallowing impairments
• Knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions relevant, demonstrating the evidence base for these approaches
• Excellent negotiation, problem solving, reflection and conflict management skills
• Experience of service development, including planning, leading and implementing audits / projects.
• Experience of delivering training to other professionals, patients and/or carers.
• Well established knowledge of national policies, procedures and guidelines relevant to the specialism of head and neck cancer and implications for service provision

Desirable criteria

• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering education and training packages
• Experience in recruitment process and/or improving staff retention.
• Experience working with private patients.

SkillsEssential criteria

• Knowledge and experience of altered airway (Laryngectomy and Tracheostomy) management
• Able to manage time effectively, to prioritise, and to support junior staff to manage their caseload.
• Experience of supervising junior staff and students.
• Excellent clinical, analytical and reasoning skills, including expert assessment, treatment and care planning.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to modify skills as needed.
• Able to work effectively within a team and also on own initiative
• Able to teach and motivate others.
• Able to reflect on own practice and that of others in order to deliver the best possible care.
• Information Technology skills including: e-mail, Word, Excel & Power Point
• Ability to keep accurate and legible patient records.
• Ability to work under pressure and demonstrate flexibility with rapidly changing circumstances.

Desirable criteria

• Advanced competence in Videofluoroscopy (Lead Clinician)
• Knowledge of audit cycle and ability to set, monitor and audit a wide range of clinical standards within a designated part of the service area.
• Knowledge and evidence of QI process

Our values

We want our staff to believe in, demonstrate and live our values in everything we do.

Include
We value the diversity and experience of our community colleagues and partners, creating relationships and climates that provide an opportunity to share, collaborate and grow together.

Respect
We create a safe environment where we are curious of the lived experience of others, seek out best practice and are open to listening and hearing new ideas.

Improve
We are committed to consistently delivering excellent services and continuously looking to improve through a creative workforce that feels empowered to act in service of our shared purpose.

Committed to our Community

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion for all job applicants, staff, patients and the wider community. We want to create a workforce which represents the communities we serve. We are on a journey to become a more inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone regardless of their background. In particular we encourage applications from candidates with disabilities, and candidates from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who are currently under-represented in various parts of our workforce .

We understand the importance of balancing work and home life. We are committed to support flexible working for our staff wherever possible and all our employees are given the opportunity to discuss potential for flexible working.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and achieved our status in 2019.

We will remove barriers that prospective candidates might face at any stage of our recruitment process. If you have a disability and would like the advert in an alternative format, or would like to talk about how we can adjust the interview process to best support you, please contact us by emailing resourcing.enh-tr@nhs.net

We are also proud to support our UK armed forces by supporting Reservists, Cadet Instructors, Veterans and military spouses/partners into employment and offering supportive policies that value their contribution to the community and to our Trust.

We are committed to being a carer-friendly environment, addressing the complex needs of families with caring responsibilities. In partnership with Carers in Hertfordshire, all our working carers have access to support from recruitment. We are also a member of Carers UK, providing resources to make balancing work and caring easier. Our approach is inclusive, recognizing diverse challenges and creating a supportive environment where carers feel valued.

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